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AUNIT-1n) STATES PATENT ratori-O JAMES L. MARSH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CITY CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N; Y,

MANUFACTURE OF AQUA-AMMONIA.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,303, dated July 2,0, 1880,

Application filed March 20, [879.

To all whom it may concern:l t 'l Be it known that I, JAMES L. MARSH, ot' the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method and Apparatus for Manufacturing Aqua-Ammonia, of which the following is a description in such full, clear, concise,

and exact terms as will enable any one skilled in the art or science to which it appertains or 1o with which it is most nearly connected to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making' part ot' this specification, and the letters ot reference marked thereon.

My invention consists ot'an improved lnethod of manufacturing aqua-ammonia, and ot an improved apparatus to be used in the manufacture of the same.

My improvement consists substantially of 2o the following method of treating sulphate of ammonia for the lproduction of an improved liquor ammonia.

First, l take the sulphate of ammonia, freshslaked lime, and water, in the proportion of y about sixty pounds of the sulphate, forty pounds of lime, `and iit'ty gallons of water, and put them together in a cylindrically-iormed retort, having its axis horizontally arranged an d inelosed or surrounded by a chamber heated 3o with steam or hot air, or gas of the desired temperature and pressure, and fitted with a horizontally-rotating stirrer having wings or beaters, by which the material under treatment can be thoroughly broken up, thrown 3 5 over, and mixed around the horizontal axis of the retort or containing-vessel.

Second, I admit steam to the chamber inclosing the retort, and also to the shaft, arms, and wings of the stirrer in it, and raise the 4o temperature of its contents to about 2120 Fahrenheit and put the stirrer in motion, by which the lime and sulphate are thoroughly mixed, the water rapidly evaporated, and the ammoniacal gas freely liberated and carried over.

Third, I draw the ammoniacal gas from the retort and deliver it into the bottom of a condenser charged with water and inelosed in a chamber, C, filled with water continually entering at the bottom and discharging at the 5o top, bywhich a hollow column of cold circulating water is made to inclose the condenser and cool its contents.

Fourth, from the condenser above described the unabsorbed gas passes to the bottom of a second condenser, also charged with water and inelosed or surrounded by a hollow column of circulating water, sustained by ajaeket, to cool the contents ot' the containing-vessel, the same as in the case ot' the iirst condenser. The water in the iirst condenser or reservoir will absorb the ammoniaca-l gas until it becomes saturated. The gas will then rise through the water partially washed and purified and pass into the second condenser, and will be there absorbed until the water becomes saturated, when it will pass from that condensertoa third still further puriiied, and so on until the desired purity is obtained.

Fifth, after the water in the lirst condenser has become charged with the sulphate of ammonia I draw or pump it out of thecondenser back into the retort and subject it again to the lime treatment in the retort.

Sixth, I draw the air and gas out ofthe retort by means of an air-pump or other exhausting and condensing apparatus, by which I am enabled to treat the material under a partial vacuum and a very low temperature.

My improved apparatus consists substantially ot' the following parts in combination, reference being had to the drawing.

A is the retort or containing-vessel above referred lro,in which the sulphate and lime are treated 5 C, the jacket or chamber inclosing or surrounding the retort, and into which the steam is admitted to heat its contents; E, the shaft, and B the arms, wings, or beaters composing the horizontal. rotating stirrer, the alternate ends of which are united, by which the material under treatment is more eftectually thrown over, broken, and mixed. The shaft, arms, and connections of the stirrer are also made hollow, and the steam is introduced in to one end ofthe shaft by means ot' a pipe fitted with a stuffing-box of the ordinary construction, and the water of condensation escapes out of the shaft and arms of the stirrer through a pipe, also litted with a stuiiing-box, anddisharges in the heating-chamber C, as shown IOO E is the Wheel or pulley by which the stirrer is operated. Gis a dome set on the retort, and itted with a man-hole plate, F, and a screwmounting, H, through which the retort is charged and Q is a pipe fitted to the bottom ot' the retort and supplied with a gate, 1t, through which the refuse is discharged.

I is the first condenser above referred to, and J the jacket or chamber inclosin g or surrounding it.

M is the second condenser above referred to, inclosed in thejaeket or chamber R.

From the dome Gr leads a pipe, K, through which the gas escapes to the condenser, the pipe K connecting to the pipe P leading into the condenser. The condenser-s are fitted with pipes ij, by which they can relieve themselves in case the pressure becomes too great.

N is a pump, by which the impregnated water can he drawn or pumped from the condenser back into the retort for a retreatment through the pipe O.

U is a pipe litted with a suitable cock to draw the water ot' condensation out ot' the chamber C, inclosing the retort; and V is a valve held by a spring, to admit air to the jacket when the steam condcnses, to prevent a Vacuum in it.

P is an air-pump, by which the vapor and air can be drawn out of the retort and t'orced into the condenser. The apparatus is also titted with the usual cocks and gages employed in such cases to regulate its oliieration.

The arms or wings of the stirrer should be made hollow, iiat, an d broad, to present a large heating-surface, and should be made equal in diameter to the retort or containing-vessel, or nearly so, to insure a perfect agitation of all the material under treatment.

Having now described my improved process and apparatus to be used in the manufacture of aqua-ammonia, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The improved process herein described ot' manufacturing aquaammonia, consisting of heating a mixture of sulphate of ammonia, lime, and water by steam applied to the surface ot' the retaining-vessel, and at the same time agitating it around the axis oi' a horizontal stirrer to expose the greatest possible area ofsurt'acc to the heat, and thus volatilize the same.

JAS. L. MARSH. Vitnesses AMos BROADNAX, WILLIAM H. BROADNAX. 

